Unlike: judge wrong in Facebook defamation case

Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 23-Jul-19

News Corp Australia will contend that it should not be liable for defamatory comments that are posted by readers of its publications on its Facebook pages. The media group will appeal against a recent Supreme Court of New South Wales ruling with regard to liability for third-party comments on Facebook. News Corp will argue that it is not the primary publisher of such comments, and that media companies use Facebook’s services on term and conditions imposed by the social media giant.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SKY NEWS

ABC still most trusted, Facebook improves

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 23-Jul-19

The MEDIA Net Trust Survey, which was conducted by Roy Morgan in April, reveals that while Facebook – and Social Media generally – remains deeply distrusted in Australia, the ABC is still by far the nation’s most trusted media organisation. Some 44 per cent of Australians distrust social media, but only 7 per cent distrust the ABC. After the ABC, SBS is Australia’s second most trusted media owner, followed by Schwartz Media and Macquarie Media, as the only other media owners with a positive Net Trust Score. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says the consistently strong NTS performance by the ABC demonstrates that ‘real news’ is significantly more trusted by Australians than the ‘fake news’ promulgated on social media.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SCHWARTZ MEDIA PTY LTD, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN

Action on streaming set back until 2022

Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 24 : 22-Jul-19

A confidential consultation paper has recommended that the federal government delay a decision on whether live streaming is subject to the Broadcasting Act until 2022. The ministerial determination was made in 2000 by former Communications Minister Richard Alston, and it is slated to expire on 1 October 2019. The Department of Communications has advised that extending the so-called Alston determination would give the government more time to consider a broader range of ­reforms for broadcasting and streaming ser­vices, including its response to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s report on digital platforms.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

ABC’s $100k taxpayer Life line

Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 24 & 26 : 22-Jul-19

The ABC’s lifestyle website, which was launched on 6 August 2018, now boasts about 600,000 unique viewers each month, although this can vary from 500,000 to 820,000. In contrast, the public broadcaster’s suite of ABC News sites attracts more than 10 million unique viewers each month. The ABC Life site has attracted criticism from publishers, commercial networks and even some of the ABC’s own journalists. Meanwhile, ABC Life is seeking to hire an editor on a 12-month fixed-term contract, with a salary of more than $100,000.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, JUNKEE MEDIA PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED, NEWSMEDIAWORKS, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Top scientists lash superficial ABC

Original article by Emily Ritchie
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 19-Jul-19

Leading hydrologists and ecologists have criticised the ABC over its ‘Four Corners’ program in an open letter. The episode on 8 July labelled the $5.6 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan a "failure and a farce". Hydrologist Rob Vertessy, one of the letter’s co-authors, said those behind it challenged the assertion that the plan was a failure, even more so that it is a farce. He says no one in the water sector would deny that the plan is not without its flaws, but nobody has been able to come up with a better one.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Police asked to fingerprint ABC suspects

Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 3 : 16-Jul-19

The ABC has revealed that the Australian Federal Police sought access to the fingerprints and palm prints of journalists Dan Oakes and Sam Clark. The request was part of the AFP’s investigation into alleged offences under the Crimes Act, the Defence Act and the Criminal Code. Its actions have been criticised by John Lyons, the ABC’s head of investigations, who has expressed concern about the "criminalising" of legitimate investigative journalism. Press freedom has been under scrutiny in the wake of the AFP’s raids on the ABC’s Sydney office and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT

Giving networks a sporting chance

Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 26 : 15-Jul-19

The Seven Network’s coverage of Wimbledon attracted an average audience of 205,000 per match on its 7Two secondary channel, with the audience peaking at 455,000 for the match in which Ash Barty’s was eliminated from the tournament. That match also attracted 207,000 viewers on Foxtel. The men’s Cricket World Cup has also been a ratings success for the Nine Network and Foxtel, particularly matches featuring the Australian team. Nevertheless, TV industry executives say the weak advertising market and the cost of sports broadcasting rights are a concern.

CORPORATES
SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL

Alston Determination on the agenda for Fletcher

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 15-Jul-19

The federal government is reviewing a ruling that online live streaming of TV and radio content is not subject to the Broadcasting Services Act. The ministerial determination was made in 2000 by former Communications Minister Richard Alston, and it is slated to expire on 1 October 2019. Amongst other things, scrapping the distinction between live streaming and broadcasting may impact on the cost of sports rights, given that the online and TV rights to sports such as the AFL and NRL are currently sold separately.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PHONOGRAPHIC PERFORMANCE COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED, APPLE MUSIC, SPOTIFY LIMITED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD

Media, foreign leaders step up freedom push

Original article by Rosie Lewis, Jacquelin Magnay
The Australian – Page: 4 : 12-Jul-19

The ABC and News Corp Australia still do not know if any journalists will be prosecuted following the police raids in early June. ABC MD David Anderson says the public broadcaster has asked Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to intervene, although government sources say that he has no power to do so. The Australian Federal Police raids have attracted scrutiny at the Global Conference for Media Freedom, with human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressing concern about the implications of the raids for freedom of the press globally.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, GREAT BRITAIN. FOREIGN OFFICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Media, security balance the goal

Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Jul-19

Foreign Minister Marise Payne will use a speech on 10 July to stress the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. However, she will tell the Global Conference for Media Freedom that the public’s right to know must be balanced against the need to protect Australia’s national interest. Payne’s speech in London comes in the wake of the recent police raids on the Sydney offices of the ABC and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, UNITED NATIONS. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION